Starter for combustion-engines.



C. HUNT.

STARTER FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1910.

1,050,02 Patented Jan. 7, 1913."

3 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

WITNESSES INVE NTOR Carl Hunt (gmm'adw' MW 5C1. HUNT STARTER FOR COMBUSTION mamas.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1910.

Patented Jan. 7,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ENTOE. Carl Hunt z zfiJ ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES (LHUNT. STARTER FOB. COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1910. I

Patented J an. 7, 1913.

3 SHEETSS"HBBT 3.

INVENTOR.

I Carl HUI 1T".

A TTORNE)".

To allfwlzomft Willy concern "zit knownif hat I, CARL HUNT, of Ind anapolig couiityof Marion, and State of Indiana,; have invented a certain new and useful Starter; for Combustion-Engines and I; do reby declare that the following is a an, hclean and exact description thereof, 7' e'ii'igfhad to the accompanying 'f'this invention is to provide i all nd efiicient means forstarti-ng 'n engines without cranking the hand or otherwise. i

ature ofthe invention consists ing' c rnbustible gas obtained from rbnretferfiind therefore in combustible ,andIintrOduCing the quantityof J hichis ready for ignition or the explosionL Qfthe:gas. The explosion of such ch rge of gasfin' one of the cylinders will 'tl k haft and start the engine.

directly from the carburetor by lofaapuinp' of some sort, but one feat ire dflt-hisi iiention is to take the combus {the cylinder, after it has en- 'er from the .carbureter, and combustible condition, and f m the cylinder. Therefore, p atthe gas which is. subseuentl mp yjed to start a cylinder is idenca lin character with the combustible gas glilarly supplied to the cylinders for exer, eat-nreof the invention consists rzi gfo'iieof the cylinders of theen *h e there is a plurality of cylinders, pingifthe combustible gas into a e 'erigine both'supplies the gas for poses and pumps or forces "It er -into the storage tank,.'t h e .the engine after it stops the next time, and

Specificationof Letters Patent.

176d gas into the cylinder of the enn1""1st1;ble gas to be stored may be ank. In other words, said cyl- Ir the m ech a n-ismi '1 d cylinder: will: ut will continue reg ular duty as :an storage ,t-hrough the; I u a ylin'dersisdonea ften; enginehas' gotten under'i' wa'y, so thatthe is stored in the tan'k rea'dy' "forstartingai s'rhn r'nn ron ooiiriausrron nivemnsit Patented Jan. 7,1913.

I Application filed January 3,1910. Serial No. 535,963.

intact, one storage of gas in the tank may be used to start the-engine severalt-imes.

Another feature of the invention consists in the means. for converting the cylinder of the engine into a pump and storing gas therefrom in the tank, and for charging it backto a cylinder engine. This means .is controlled'manually and is so arranged that when the spark plug insaid cylinder is disconnected from its source of electricity, a valve will be caused to open the conduit leading from the cylinder to the storage tank. Hence as the piston operates. in the cylinder, it will force the combustible'gas as it enters the cylinder through said conduit to the storage tank,- and when the pressure in the tank is great enough, said regulating means is again operated to close'the port to the storage tank and restore the current to the 'spark plug.

Another feature of the invention consists in the manually operated means'for opening a valve that controls the conduit leading from the storage tank to the various cylinders, to permit gas from the storage tank to enter said cylinders, at least the one which is in condition for explosion.

The. nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, being practically a central vertical longitudinal section through the forward portion of anautomobile and certain parts being in sect-ion and other parts :being broken away and the device being shown in condition for storing gas in the storage'tank. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with'the hidden parts'indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the neans for closing the ignition circuit to a cylinder, and also for closing the conduit from the cylinder-to the storage. tank, parts being shown i-n their'posi'tions v'h the cylind-ergis not, operating asa [p11 but "as a vjpart '),1f*tlie; engine; Fig.1}; is a' central vertiv cal; section through'a portion ofthe combus- 2 tion=end..o,f; the cylinder ind t ake from the storagetank de,, eleva tion i; ofgzthe snmechanisni; for controlling the;electric-circuits i the device, -iparts being-broken awa r F is an elevat'ion-oftheoppositesi t'is shown in Fig.i5.j;!Fi g. 7 is at nsver ection on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5', showing'the parts in position for closing the ignition circuit.

8is the same as Fig. 7 with the ignition and the operation of the a Fig. 10 is acentral transverse vertical section through. a portion of the con duit leading from the storage tank and cutting through the valve for controlling the same.

The drawings herein show a four-cylinder en he as used in automobiles and mounted ad acent the dash 10 of an automobile. There are four cylinders 11 arranged in a nected with the crank shaft (not shown). as usual. In-the upper end oi each cylinder there is a centrally situated spark plug 13. They are ma neto (not shown) in connection with WhlCh ihB timer 14 is mounted and operates.

1 Any type of timer may be used, and wires comes indirectly in age tank 25,

15 run from the timer to the manually 0perated switch mechanism 16, and therefrom wires 17 run to. the spark plugs to three of the'cylinders, and wire 18 is arranged to conduct the electricit to the spark plugof the remaining cylin er, the one shown at the left-hand end of the series. As will hereafter be explained, the timer indicates at the switch 16 which of the cylinders is ready for a charge of gas and actuating ex ploslon, as the ignition of the gas inthe various cylinders isregulated in a manner well known A carbureter 20 furnishes gas in a. combustible condition to the cylinders well known manner,

as the means forconveying combustible gas to the cylinders is immaterial so long as combustible gas enters all the cylinders.

121 is the exhaust tube,

The plan is to start the piston in the cylinder which is ready to, s ark by introduc ing a charge of gasinto the cylinder thereof, which [gas is'of the same character and .quality as is employed. to drive the pistons regularly. come from the carbureter either directly or indirectly. In the the following manner: Thecombustible as which enters the left-- hand cylinder an entersone of the cylin tiers, herein the left-hand one, from. the carburetef is'co n through the ipe In other W0 5, for a small space oftime the combustible gas which normally enters said lind'er, is utilized for chargin a tank instead of exploding'and driving t e piston,

and the piston is used to force said gas from the cylinder through the pipe 26 1nto the ressed and stored in the stor-. ing forced into said tank- ,26 out of said cylinder;

.row, and each cylinder has a piston 12 con" supplied with current from a- Henoe. this supply. of gas must form herein shown "it-- tank. 25 Asshown-in' 3, the pipe 26- used for engine purp the tank and that outlet is ,tan-k through the openings is in communication with the cylinder throng the sleeve plug 27 that screws into le inijlie head of the cylinder, and in Sal chamber 28 with a positive or cut-off valve 29-therein, and also a valve chamber 30 for a body or-check valve 32 or similar valve which will. prevent the back movement of the gas which enters the pipe 26. The purpose of the valve 29 is to close the conduit 26 efi'ect-ively while the cylinder is being oses in order to resist the explosion of gas in the cylinder; There- ,fore rather a strong valve construction is necessary. The valve 29 is actuated by a bell crank 33 sccured'to the stiror spindle thereof outside the casing 215-. and from one arm of the lever 33 a pushsrod 34 "extends through the dash 10 and has a knob 35 in a convenient position for the driver of the automobile to'manipulate.v The pin 36 engages the dash and stops the movement of the rod in one direction while the knob 35 stops its movement inflthe other direction. One arm 133 of the bell crank lever 33 engages the When the shown in Fig. 3, the arm 5 133 electrically connects the wire 18 to the spark plug, and then the cylinder will operate asan-engine, and when the a'rm133 of the lever 33 is separated from thespark plug 13, as shown in Fig. 1, the first cylinder to .the left will operate as a pum Hence a single means, rod 34, makes or breaks the ignition circuit of the spark plug 13, and atthe same time opens or closes the cut ofi valve29. This insures the, closing of the valve 29 before the spark plug can ignite'any gas in the cylinder and cause an explosion. To constitute a better connection between the 'parts. '133. and plug 13, said plug has a'vertical slot in it into which the arm'133 enters like a knife blade. A pressure gage 40 is secured on the dashboard and is' n communication through theconduit 41' with the tank 25 so as to registerthe pressure therein. There is acentral outlet conduit'42-fromoneend of roteeted by .a late 43 within the'tank and parallel with ut spaced from the end wall of the tank so as to form a smallchamber between them,

in communication with which chamber is the outlet 42 and also the interior of the bottom to insure proper mixture of the gas and, air. Fromthe lower end of the gas tube 42 leading from the tank a pipe 50 leads to each of four valve chambers 52 from conduit 26 there is a positive valve spark plug 13 in the cylinder.

lever is down in the position- 44 at the top and which pipes 53 lead to the various cylinders'lfl to charge them for starting purposes. In each valve case .52 there is a. ball-lhaped check valve 55 on the lower end of the stem 56 which is connected'with the core of an. electromagnet 57, so that saidmagnet can 1!.

1 one ofE-Sajid will bridge eve 1- qextend madam lvejwhile starting the'eng ns ,qt t-ijne's jthe valv'e willj-be- 91053.6 sa e 't i3 var am through, Wire 58 "in one; side*"an d wire 59 f h ide 'l c I hzit'iis controlled the llhroughthisele' ctric switch the magnets are'in communication with'the battery (not shown).through the timer, and hence only s will be energizedat a i time', and. I 'wrllfelevate the corresponding Ly 1.v,:53 "and that will permit; the gas 'to pass; tombs proper, one of the four cylinders.

"Theij 'electric s itch arrangement is as fol- J I There" casing 65 of insulating ma- ]ter al surrounding the rod 66 made of insuing"'n1aterial' g that extends through-the sh andlplate GZdand carries a knob at i l and the other end extends e casing 68 in the gas tube H n y to ge tank and has a port 70 -i sadaptec to register with said pass Y he rod is in one p'ositio n, urned to the position shown in sa1d",:rod"";loses the passageway. The dfin the casing (SSperforms .ya'lve. In the switch casseries of fourterminals -7 5 es 15 from the timer are. I p e'terminals extend radially lirough: thel'tubular' casing" to the interior riphery thereof. Thereis also a parallel l'fjare connected; The termi- 'anged like the terminals 7 5 the same, as shown in Fig. 7, so hat the l ner e'ntls of'each pair ofterminals will e near each other in posiidgetl by one of the metal concts 7f? .enibe dc'led in the periphery of the (1 66; Ithreism contact 77 for each pair and -76. Hence when the 66'is in the position shown in Fig. '7, it A :'pair of terminals 75" and and fgclosetlie ignition circuits,'and when" rat position; the valve portion of therod in'the posit-ion shown in Fig. 10.for h conduit .42 from the storage Thereis also a series of terminals 78 v ingftlirou'gh said tubularcasing almost diamet r ally opposite the series of terminals- {5,hfiid the terminals 78v have the i e magnets connected with Elias .1 we

2 position shown in i 10 to thapdsmontb cause thefvalveto storage tank 25.

cylinder operates, 1t willv draw in combus- 53 will be open for the/passage of gas from the storage tank as quickly as the valve is in the open position; if the magnets were not energized before the gas under pressure is turned on through the conduit 42, the

pressure of the gas. would tend to hold the ball valves closed-and interferewith their being opened by the magnets.

The valve construction shown in Fig. 4

leading to the cylinders for admitting the. gas from the; storage tank. The casing projects inwardly beyond'the wall of the cylinder and is closed atits endbut has laterally,

val\*s"-59 elei ated thereby.*-: Then the pipes .80 isemployed atthe intake fromthe tubes 03' extending ports 81 in its side and some dis 'tance above the lower-end of the casing. The CRSIDQI'1SprOVldQdfW1th a taper ng val"e seat- 82 and within thefcasing there is a valve with a tapering head 83 and afoulfrom the storage tank is introduced through pipe 53 and forces the ,valve down far enough for the gas to enter the ports 81 and charge the cylinder. s

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: After the automobile is under way,

the knob 35 is drawn by the driver toward him to the position shown in -Fig. 2. That v'inged shank 84 extending upwardly therebreaks the ignition circuitfor one ofthe" cylinders and opens the conduit 261th the As the-piston 12 in said tible gas from the carbureter as usual on the downward movement: of the pistonyand on the reverse movement will. force the gas through the-conduit 26 into the tank 25. After it passes above the ball valve 32 the gas cannotreturn{ This-storing of the gas from'the carbureter as pumped by the/piston continues-until the pressure in the tank 25' has reachel the desired degree, as indigene. "Then thelniobfidis dt a's indicated in" F .That first'cylinderand piston-from a "engine, and it iperformsits :work a along with the other. cylinders and "the arm 133 closing ztheiignitiongcin cult and i'the val've'- in theJ-p ipe- 26 being closedi lvhil'e the engine is operatingnon "finally and I while the storagetankis, being filled as stated above,=the' switch mechanism.

of said tank may be use to start the engine ter the automobile has .stop

shown'in Figs. 7 and 10, that is, the ignition circuits are closed and. the assagewa 42-from the storage tank is close also. A2 ed and one wishes 'to' start the en ines, 1e turns the knob soas to turn t e rod 66 from the position shown in Fig. '7 to the position shown in Fig. 8, that is, so as to break the ignition circuits and' to close the magnet circuits which are normally open. As "soon as said magnet netaccording to the selection of the timing device w ll be energized and will 0 en the valve 55, for one of the tubes 53 lea ing toone of the cylinders, the one which, as

indicated by the timing device, is in the" sparking and explosive condition. The knob 60flS not stopped, however, in the position shown in Fig. 8,- but the. o rator continues to turn it untilthevah m is opened and the, gas then under pressure in the tank can rush into said cylinder,

a; receive it. "When suflicientas has antered the cylinder, as indicated y the ga 'e .40 showing the diminution 'of pressure'in't e' tank25, the knob 60. is turned back'to its normalposition, asshow'nin Fig. 7 That restores the ignition circuits; whereupon the charge of gas 'ust' introduced into one *of the cylinders will be exploded and thatwill ive the crank shaftthe desired actuation or starting the engine. After getting under way again the. tank 25 may be renewed to fie extent ready for starting a ain, or one charge more than one time.

What I claim as my invention anddesire to-secure by Letters Patent "is:

der combustionengine, of fl'lGSQIVOH', a con-' dui 'extending from said reservoir to the com ustion end.of one cylinder, a valve in said conduit, abell-crank lever in connec- 1. "rm combination w-itha multiple cyli n .tion with said valve, means for o era 'ing' said lever, a spark, plug in position to be engaged by said "alv'e is closed, ani

nected 'with said lever w ichis closed when the lever is in engagement with the spark plug, and valve cont-rolled means for 'sup: plying gas from said reservoir to the cylinders of the engine for starting the same.

said cy inder I '2. Mechanism for starting combustion en-', 'ginesiincliiding the combination wlth an engine cylinder, of a reservoir containin fuel,

a conduit from the reservoir to the cy inder,

an electromagnet actuated valve for closr' ing said conduit, a circuitfor giving'current to said magnet, a valve'for closin said conduit between the reservoir and eectromalgnet actuated valve, and a single meansfor closing the circuit to the magnet and opening said last-mentioned valve.

8. Mechanism. for starting combustion encircuits are closed, one magthat it has been diminished and 1 gines including the combination'with ginec linder, of a reservoir containin fuel, a con uit from the reservoir to the cy inder, an electromagnet actuated valve for closing said conduit, a circuit forgiving current to said magnet, a valve for closing. said conduit between the reservoir and electromagnet actuated valve, and means arranged to close the circuit of said magnet in-advance of the openin of said last-mentioned valve.

.4. ;The com ination with a multiple cylinder engine, "of a reservoir for fuel, a single conduit leading from the reservoir that divides into branch conduits leading 'to the respective cylinders, a valve for closing each branch conduit, a timer, magnetselectricallg connected with the timer-for actuating eac valve, a valve in the'single port-ion of said conduit, and a singlemeans for opening said last-mentioned valve and closing the circuits betweenfthe timer and magnets.

5. The combination .with amultiple' cylinder engine, of a reservoir forfuel, a s ngle conduit leading from. the reservoir that divides into branch conduits leading to the respective cylinders, a valve for closing each branchcon uit, a timer, magnets'electri'call connected-with'the timer for actuating eac valve, a valve in theisingle ortion of said conduit, and a switch rod or closing the circuitsbetween the timer and magnets and subsequently opening said last-mentioned valve.

'-' 6. The combination with a multiple cylinder engine, of a reservoir for fuel, a si le conduit leading from the reservoir that ivides into-branch conduits leading "to the respective cylinders, a valve for closing each connected with the timer for actuating e'ac valve, a-valve in thesingle portion of said conduit, a rod; for operating said-last-mentioned valve which has in its periphery metal contacts, a'casing of insulating material in which..said rod. is "mounted so it. can be I turned, terminals on one side of said casing said lever when. ition' circuit con- .with segmental" extending arms, wires between the timerandsaid terminals, terminals in another side of said casin -with seg- 'mentall extending arms aralle with the arms 0 the other termina 3, said terminals and the arms thereof being all situated so that the contacts on said rod may engage and brid the parts of each pair of terminalsf an wires from; the last-mentioned terminals tothe magnets the'terminals being so. arranged that" when said rod holds the valve in the sing'leportion of the reservoir conduit closed the circuits between the timer and magnets'will be broken, and when said rod is turned it will firstclose said cir' cuits and subsequently open said lastqnentioned valve.

'7. Thecombi'natioll with a multiple cylinanen branch conduit, a timer, magnets electrically der engine, of an ignition'circuit for each In resume cylinder, a timer for controlling the same, a fuel reservoirincommunication with each 'cylinder, -magnetactuatedgvalve for con- 'trollingthe' fuel conduit to each cylinder,

a'switch for throwing each magnet into communication with the timer and breaking the ignition circuit, whereby the eneri. .glilz'ation of said magnets and the passage of el totheeylinderswill be controlled by the timer and said switch. v 8; The combination with a multiple cylin- ;der engine, ofa reservoir forv fuel, a single fvide's intobranch, conduits leading respective cylinders, a valve for closing each branch conduit, a timer, an ignition circuit conduit leading from the reservoir that difor each cylinder, avalve for controlling a switc the single portion of said reservoir conduit,

for simultaneously closing-the igni-- tion circuits and said'last-mentioned valve, magnets electrically connected with the timer through said switch for actuating each valve inthe'loranch conduits, and parts arranged so'thatiwhen the switch is operated it will break-the ignition circuits and close the circuitsbetween thetimer and magnets and afterward open the valve in the single portionof the reservoir conduit.

9.- In a starting device-for internal cornbustion engines, the combination with an explosion cylinder and a tank containing gas" under pr'essure,.of a conduit leading there* from and operatively connected to the cylin der, 9; valve-for controlling the admission of gas to saidcylinderv from the conduit, a mag.-

, netoperatively mounted with relation to the valve and adapted to actuate the same when to the energize said magnet, simultaneously rendering the ignition devices inoperative and when shifted in the other, cutting oil the flow of gasto the cylinder and simultaneously rendering the ignition devices operative V 10. In a starting device for internal combustion engines, the comblna'tion with a cylinder having an inlet for explosive mixture andan independent inlet forexplosive 1 compressed gas, of electrically operated devices controlling the admiss1on of compressed gas to the cylinder, an ignition device for said cylinder, a primarybattery normally in circuit'with'the ignition device,

and -means movable. in 1 one direction for breaking the circuit from the prima battery to the ignition devices and establishing a circuit from the primary battery to the gas-controlling devices and movable in the opposite direction to establish the. circuit from the-battery to the ignition devices and break the circuit to the gas-controlling devices. v i

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of the witnesses herein named.

' CARL HUNT.

Witnesses:

G. H. BOINK,

O. M. MCLAUGHLIN. 

